SANTA CLARA (KRON) – It took less than a half-hour into the San Francisco 49ers’ first practice for the Levi’s Stadium sod to come up in pieces, also only a couple of hours after the venue hosted a high school all-star game.
The Niners kicked off their first training camp under new coach Jim Tomsula on Saturday night, and he could be seen stomping down a divot with his heel moments after watching wide receiver Bruce Ellington make a run a few yards away.
Stadium operations chief Jim Mercurio has said the sod will be replaced on an as-needed basis, next scheduled for mid-month following a concert.
The 1-year-old, $1.3 billion stadium is set to host the Super Bowl in just more than six months. The NFL is expected to bring in its own field.
Levi’s hosted Barcelona and Manchester United in the International Champions Cup on July 25, and afterward, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said, “The field was dry and I think that hurt both teams as well.”
